Spring Cleaning

It finally feels like spring here in Idaho! As we are starting to get longer days, I've noticed that I've actually had more desire to do things like organize my home, garden, and just in general, haven't needed to take as many naps. It's made me curious why exactly is that? So I did a little research and found that your body produces more melatonin when the sun is not out, which explains why in the winter I don't really want to clean my house and take more naps, overall, I'm just a lot more lazy in the winter.

This makes some sense when talking about why we do a "spring cleaning." But that got me curious, where did that phrase come from? Is it because we have more motivation to clean out our dwellings when the sun comes out? It's possible. So I looked up where does that saying come from? I found a few traditions from around the world. One of my favorites that I found is that supposedly, the Chinese traditionally believe that all of your misfortunes from the previous year pile up in your home. So after the new year, to make sure that you start out your year right, they deep clean out their spaces.

Now the reason for this being one of my favorites out of the traditions of where the spring cleaning phrase and actions that takes place comes from, is because I am a big believer that our possessions say a lot about who we are. Owning too many things and not being a conscious consumer hinders our growth to become the greatest version of ourselves. So I say, that now is the time to look through those things around you and ask yourself, "Does holding onto this benefit me in anyway? OR does it make me feel heavy possessing it?" Here is a list of 101 items that you can read over and maybe find some that you don't need. The next step that I encourage you taking after your have cleared some items out would be to try and be a conscious consumer here on out. Think through all of your purchases. Where the items come from, if they are good for us or hindering us, will they soon (5-10 years) end up in the dump? Alright here is the list:

1. Glassware
2. Cookbooks
3. Kitchen gadgets
4. Kitchen appliances
5. Pots and pans
6. Mixing bowls
7. Tupperware
8. Water pitchers
9. Magazines
10. Newspaper
11. Books
12. Over-the-counter medicine
13. Make-up
14. Barretts/ hair clips/ ponytail holders
15. Cleaning supplies
16. Personal beauty appliances
17. Bottles of shampoo/ conditioner
18. photos
19. Photography supplies
20. Photos
21. Craft supplies
22. Scrap-booking supplies
23. CD's
24. DVD's
25. Decorative items
26. Candles
27. Figurines
28. Crystal
29. Vases
30. Audio/visual components
31. Audio/visual cables
32. Computer equipment
33. MP3 players
34. Furniture
35. Video game systems (yes please, get rid of them!!!!!!)
36. Video games
37. Video game accessories
38. Shirts/ shorts
39. Pants
40. Coats
41. Dresses
42. Hats
43. Clothes hangers
44. Winter gear
45. Shoes
46. Jewelry
47. Purses
48. Coins
49. Pillows
50. Towels
51. Linen sets
52. Candle Holders
53. Televisions
54. Items on your bulletin board
55. Magnets
56. Artwork
57. Mirrors
58. Home office supplies
59. Pens/pencils
60. Old batteries
61. Tools
62. Hardware
63. Rolls of duct tape
64. Coolers
65. Manuals
66. Phone books
67. Coupons
68. Sporting good supplies
69. Sports memorabilia
70. Aluminum cans
71. Glass bottles
72. Automobile fluids
73. Automobiles
74. Scrap pieces of lumber
75. Brooms
76. Rakes
77. Shovels
78. Garden tools
79. Plant containers
80. Empty cardboard boxes
81. Board games
82. Puzzles
83. Decks of cards
84. Unused wedding gifts
85. Baby clothes
86. Baby supplies
87. Old schoolbooks/ papers
88. Army men
89. Bath toys
90. Toy balls
91. Toy cars/trucks
92. Toy musical instruments
93. Stuffed animals
94. Plastic toys
95. Childrens' old school papers
96. Suitcases
97. Soda
98. Alcohol
99. Processed foods
100. Christmas/ seasonal decorations
101. Cable or satellite TV

Alright so here is my list! Hope you all have a great day, where ever you are! I'm going outside to enjoy the sun with my daughter.

Original list: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/101-physical-things-that-can-be-reduced-in-your-home/
Spring cleaning origination:http://prudentliving.com/blog/secret-histor/

How Others Live: Minimalists

Though I don't know how minimal I could actually go at this stage in my life. I do believe in having the basics and not much more than that. I've heard this many times from people that if you are attached to your stuff, then try living a while with out them before having them again. That way you at least appreciate them more, and aren't attached to them anymore. It's a great reminder that nothing physical is ours, we're just borrowing it while we're here on the earth.  Here are some people who are true minimalists:

Dave Bruno: The 100 Things Challenge

Colin Wright: Exile Lifestyle- 51 items

Photo from: http://blog.meetinglife.com/a-life-in-exile-bliss/

Leo Babauta: 50 Items

Photo from: http://leobabauta.com/leobike.jpg

I hope you enjoy clicking on their links. It's always interesting to me what people find of most value and what they can do without.

Don't forget to subscribe by e-mail or with you blogger account. And I hope you all had a good holiday season! I have about 1 1/2 weeks left here in France! Au revoir!

6 Fall Closet Cleanout Tips

Fall is one of those great times out of the year to clean out your closet. While some of the clothes that you wear in the Summer months still work for Winter too, the days are getting much colder. This is a transition period. So take a day to clean out your cluttered closet and re-organize it using these simple tips.

1. Pull everything out and get rid of the things that you honestly don't wear anymore. As in, the things that you really don't have an attachment to, but still have it to fill the space in your closet. (I know we all have some of those clothes). Empty space is good though. It leaves room for you to see the clothes that you actually do like wearing.

2. Try on the clothes that you haven't worn in a while to see if you still like it, or if it even fits you still.

3. Get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit you. I know, I know, it's going to fit you by this time next year right? Stacy and Clinton from TLC's What Not To Wear have always said, dress yourself in the clothes that you fit into now, not the ones you'll fit into later. Unless of course you just had a baby within the last year or something. If you have "baby fat" from 5 years ago, no, wear clothes that fit you now.

4. Neatly fold and hang the clothes that you are keeping so that you can actually see everything you have.

5. Either sell or give away the rest. There are places online to sell items worth value and also a yard sell, if you start looking around your house and realize there's maybe a lot of things you could do with out! :) But personally I prefer giving it to the thrift store. Just remember that when thrift stores have too many clothes they are shipped to places all around the world where it gets a second life and given to those who really needs them.

6. It was going to be just 5 tips but I highly recommend writing a list of your ideal wardrobe and stick to it. Only buy what's on your list. If you want some ideas you can check out my ideal wardrobe list here & here.

I hope you enjoy the pleasurable feeling from clearing out the clutter. Don't forget to subscribe by e-mail or with your blogger account!


Original Article: http://www.blogher.com/5-fall-closet-cleanout-tips
Photo: http://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/valleygirlblog/news/10-tips-for-organizing-your-closet/

Getting Out of The Poor Mentality

I guess you could say this is my belated Thanksgiving, thankful note. With about half the world living on $2.50 or less a day, (that's well over 3 billion people!), and about 80% of the world living on $10 or less a day, I have so much to be thankful for. Now, like my economist husband pointed out to me, we're comparing dollars and in some countries a dollar really goes a long way, yes, true, but living in America alone we are so richly blessed. Honestly, unless you are too stubborn to get help, you don't ever have to go without food, shelter, or clothing in the United States! One point my husband and I only had $15 dollars in our bank account, right before I was about to panic, I looked around at my apartment. I still had a warm home, food in my cupboards, and everything else that I needed. I am greatly blessed with abundance and feel like I'm living like a Queen! One of my most favorite talks I have heard was given at my school about how even though as college students we seem to be poor, here on campus, we are some of the richest people in the world because we actually have the opportunity to get an education. And with this education we can help those that are not as fortunate as we are. So that is what I have to share during this holiday time. I am so so so thankful for the abundance I have been blessed with. My physical needs are met, and I have been blessed with the richness of education and the wealth of good family and friends! So before you think of all the things you don't have, and maybe think you need to purchase for yourself this holiday season, try thinking of what you already have been given.

Don't forget to subscribe either by e-mail or with your blogger account.

Talk: Caring For The Poor and Needy
Photo: http://megainsights.com/poverty-mentality-among-nigerians/

Jay Shafer: Tiny House Creator

I've been wanting to talk about Jay Shafer for a while now because of my admiration for his designs. Considered to be a pioneer of the tiny house movement, or what I feel, really just "going back to how our ancestors used to live- in much smaller spaces" movement, he has been living in tiny dwellings that he's designed and built for over 15 years now. Out of mostly wanting to be able to get around building codes and prove that he could do so, all of his smaller designs, less than 200 sq ft, are on wheels so that they aren't considered an illegal home, but a legal mobile trailer. All of the homes he designs are very well thought out... 

You won't find any space wasted. Starting out with his first company Tumbleweed Tiny Houses, he recently sold that and began his new business called Four Lights Tiny Houses. His latest project is now, what the city regulations define as a "trailer park," will be a community full of all tiny homes.

Here is a great youtube video about Jay Shafer done by another great artist I admire-Kirsten Dirksen from Faircompanies.com that is less than 20 minutes if you have time:

Don't forget to subscribe either by e-mail or with your blogger account if you haven't already. Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Photos from: http://tech.bemoor.com/about.php?id=218&s=Jay%20Shafer%20Philosophy &
Tumbleweedhouses.com & Fourlightshouses.com

The Material Possession De-clutter

Do you remember my posy about getting rid as a way to gain more meaning in life? Though I could have posted about it last week because I did the majority of it, I still hadn't look through every drawer, every nook in my closet, etc. Now I still feel like I can do more, but I feel at peace with the state that my house is in. I didn't take any before pictures except for my storage unit because that was the last place I de-cluttered and by then, I thought a before and after shot would be good. After two trips to D.I. with our tiny car, I still found more stuff to get rid of and probably still will. Here is just a small peak into my de-cluttering.

Before....

After....

So I am done with my material possession de-clutter, now onto my virtual de-clutter. I have 4 e-mails including my school one! Lots of stuff in my inboxes, and that doesn't even count my Facebook, blog, etc. So here is to the next place to focus on for mental clarity. I feel a little de-fogged but not completely.

How Others Live: Bernie the Wanderer

If you haven't ever heard who Bernie is, well he's one of my inspirations. A true vagabond at heart, at 30 years old he decided to build himself a boat and sailed all around the world. More recently he sailed from Canada to the Bahamas. He's also traveled from Canada to Mexica in 2003 in a wagon, pulled by his mule Woody and pony Maggie! And then again made a trip in 2004-2005 from North Carolina to San Diego, California. More recently he was the first to cross the Neatherlands in wagon in 2012. He also has a real home that stays put but it is still on wheels. Always ready for the next adventure and liking the idea of never staying put for too long he says:

"Everything I ever built in my life has/had wheels under it: from the boat I sailed alone around the world to the boat I built and sailed from Canada to the Bahamas to the wagon I lived in while voyaging from Canada to Mexico."


Here's his boat that he built

Some of his wagons he's traveled in...

This one has a wood burning stove!

Here is his more 'stay put' home, though still on wheels

If you want to learn more about Bernie, read his books, and see what he's up to then check out his website here: riverearth.com

The Burning House

"If your house was burning, what would you take with you? It's a conflict between what's practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities. Think of it as an interview condensed into one question."

I came across this blog a few years ago as I was surfing the net. It's a blog dedicated to documenting what others would take with them if their house was burning. It's made me think a lot about what are the basic things that I value the most and if the rest of the things that I own really matter? Here are some of the pictures from the blog of what others would take:

Name: Louis
Age: 18
Location: Lyon, France
Occupation: Student
Website: http://1-250s.tumblr.com/ & http://unoctineodi.tumblr.com/

• List:
• My Moleskine, my extrnal hard drive
• My FED 4 with Jupiter 8 lens
• 3 Black and white films
• My polaroid
• A Bicycle card game, because I love playing cards
• My Etch A Sketch, a gift that remembers me that have good friends
• My Diary
• My iPod
• My old Opinel, a gift from my grandfather
• 3 pencils
• A lot of envelope ton write to people I know
• My pocket watercolor box

Name: Lauriëtte de Ruiter

Age: 22

Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Occupation: Interactive Designer

Website: www.lauriette.com

List:

• Macbook Pro
• iPhone 5
• Moleskine
• Passport
• Wallet
• Jewelry
• Tiger
• Keepsake boxes including photos and other important stuff
• 

Name: Dashiell Oatman-Stanford
Age: 25
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation: Student

List:

• Belt
• Moleskin Notebook
• Headphones
• Messenger Bag
• Passport
• Glasses 
• Watch 
• Mug
• Earbuds
• iPhone
• Sweater
• Shoes
• Laptop

 

Name: Malcolm Henderson
Age: 25
Location: Bimingham, UK
Occupation: Wedding photographer and emergency call taker
Website: www.mustardyellowphotography.com
List:

• Tiamo hand coffee grinder
• The Oxford Book of Madrigals
• Biffy Clyro The Vertigo of Bliss
• The party elephant
• Monty the Mouse
• Our Moroccan teapot
• Ukelele

Name: Roberto Alegria
Age: 35
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Occupation: Photographer
Website: www.robertoalegria.com

List:

• Skateboard
• Notebooks
• Wallet
• MacBookPro
• IPhone
• Brixton Hat
• Nixon Watch
• Vietnamese four face buddha
• Hasselblad 201F film camera

 Here is what I would grab if my home was on flames:

• My mom's jewelry (sorry mom, didn't realize I had it in my things when I got married)
• Sculpture my grandpa carved
• Scriptures
• Baby book
• Journals
• Wallet
• Favorite Dress
• Flip flops
• Mug my cousin made
• Mother goose nursery rhymes book

What would you take if your house was on fire?

Photos and information from theburninghouse.com